Machine for trimming string-beans, &amp;c.



R. G. ADAMS.

, MACHINE FOR TRIMMING STRING BEANS, 6w.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 23,1909.

1 9 1,?8'22 Patented M11131, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

CDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH coqwAsnmfi'roN, D. c.

E. O. ADAMS.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING STRING BEANS, 6w.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 23, labs.

LE9 L78? Patented M21131, 1914.

SHEETfi-SHEBT 2.

R. O. ADAMS. MACHINE FOR TRIMMING STRING BEANS, 6w.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I l 773 511651) es S Q5 E WW. 0 C 44W 7 f7 o gm? COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (20.. WASHINGTON, D. C-

R. U. ADAMS.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING STRING BEANS, 6w.

APPLICATION FILLED JAN. 23. 1909.

1991,78? Patented Mar. 31, 1914,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO WASHINGTON, D. c.

TTNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROGER C. ADAMS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHINNEY ENGINEER- ING- COMPANY, OF CHILLICOTHE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING STRING-BEANS, &o.

Application filed January 23, 1909.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROGER C. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Trimming String-Beans, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to a machine for cutting or trimming off the ends of string beans preparatory to cooking or canning the same, although a machine embodying this invention may be designed for cutting or trimming off the ends or like parts of other articles. A machine for this purpose is shown and described in an application for Letters Patent of the United States filed November 16, 1907, and serially numbered 402,487.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved machine of this character with a view of simplifying its construction, rendering its operation more reliable and eX- peditious and to dispose of the tips of the beans which have been severed from the bodies in a superior manner.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 4 sheets: Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine embodying my invention viewed from one of its longitudinal sides. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the machine viewed from its opposite longitudinal side. Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the machine with the artiole carriers, pockets or buckets omitted. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section in line 55, Fig. 3. Fig, 6 is a face view, on an enlarged scale, of a plurality of article carriers, adjacent to the second cutting device. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section in line 8-8, Fig. 7. Figs, 9, 10 and 11 are vertical transverse sections in the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 6. Fig. 12 is a cross section of one of the article carriers taken in line 12-12, Fig. 9. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the article carriers. Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the guide rails. Fig. 15 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 16 is a fragmentary horizontal section similar to Fig. 8, showing a plurality of carriers adj acent to the first cutter.

Similar letters of reference indicate cor- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Serial No. 473,839.

responding parts throughout the several views.

A represents the main frame of the 1nachine which may be of any suitable construction. Arranged lengthwise within this frame is an endless carrier belt B preferably of the chain type which has an upper horizontal operative portion and a lower hori zontal inoperative portion and which passes with its receiving and delivery portions around front and rear vertical sprocket wheels 0, c mounted on horizontal shafts C, C which are journaled transversely in the adjacent part of the main frame, This belt may be operated so that its upper portion moves forwardly by any suitable means, for instance, as shown in the drawings, by means of a horizontal driving shaft D journaled transversely on the loWer rear part of the frame and having a driving pulley D and a belt (Z passing around pulleys (Z 65 on the driving shaft and the shaft of the delivery sprocket wheel 0 E represents a plurality of carriers, pockets or buckets which are mounted side by side lengthwise on the outer side of the carrying belt B and which are adapted to successively receive the beans or other articles and move the same past the cutting devices which operate to trim off the ends of the same. Each of these carriers preferably has the form of a trough which is open on its upper side and which is pivoted on the carrier belt so that it is capable of a transverse tilting, turning or swinging movement alternately in opposite directions relatively to the direction of movement of the carrier belt. This pivoted connection between each carrier pocket preferably consists of a longitudinal pin 6 passing through a perforated lug 0 arranged centrally on the underside of the carrier and a pair of perforated lugs e on the adjacent part or link of the carrier belt, as shown in Figs. 7, 9, 10 and 11. As the carriers during their movement with the carrier belt reach the receiving position of this belt on the upper operative part thereof, they assume a horizontal position and at this time one or more beans at or other articles are deposited in each of the carrier pockets. The means whereby the articles to be trimmed are thus fed successively into the carrier may be variously constructed and is represented by a feed spout or chute F which is arranged with its lower delivery or outlet end above the path of the carriers as they move horizontally forward from the top of the receiving sprocket wheel, whereby the beans or other articles to be trimmed are fed by this spout or chute successively into the carriers through the open tops thereof. These carriers have a greater relative length than width whereby the beans delivered into the same arrange themselves lengthwise therein or transversely to the direction of movement of the carrier belt. After the beans or other articles have been thus fed into the carriers, each of these carriers is first tilted laterally in a vertical plane in one direction so as to cause the article therein to slide by gravity toward the depressed end of the carrier and be gaged at this end preparatory to trimming or cutting off the tip thereof. After the trimming operation at one end of the article has been effected the carrier is tilted vertically in the opposite direction, so as to cause the beans or other articles therein to slide lengthwise by gravity in the carrier toward its opposite end and be gaged preparatory to trimming off the respective ends of these articles. After the trimming of the articles in each carrier has been effected at opposite ends thereof, the carrier is. again returned to a horizontal position, this occurring while the pockets are on the delivery part of the carrier belt. The preferred means for thus tilting the carriers alternately in opposite directions between the receiving and delivery positions on the operative part of the belt consist preferably of two longitudinal cam-shaped guide rails G, G which are mounted on the frame on opposite sides of the carrier belt and which engage with the underside of the carriers on opposite sides of the pivotal connection between the same and the carrier belt. Near their front ends the rails G, G are provided, respectively, with ascending and descending cams or inclined faces g, at their central parts said rails are provided, respectively with descending and ascending cams g g and near their rear ends said rails are provided respectively with ascending and descending cams 9 each of said companion cams being arranged transversely in line and forming a pair. lVhile passing over the front parts of the rails the carriers are held in a horizontal position,

' upon ngaging with the front cams g, g

the carriers are tilted transversely in one direction, upon engaging the central cams 9 g the carriers are tilted in the opposite direction and upon engaging the rear cams g, g the carriers are again restored to a horizontal position.

Each of the carriers has the general shape of a trough or bucket and comprises a bottom it, two longitudinal side walls 7?, h

rising from opposite longitudinal edges of the bottom, and gates or closures I which are adapted to open and close outlets at opposite ends of the carrier. Each of these gates is normally arranged across the outlet at one end of a bucket at right angles to the bottom thereof and is preferably pivoted thereto by means of a horizontal pin 1' pass ing through coinciding lugs 6 i arranged on the adjacent upper parts of the gate and the body of the carrier, so that the gate is capable of swinging in a vertical plane for opening and closing the outlet at the respective ends of the bucket. Each of the gates is normally held yieldingly in its closed position by a spring J which is preferably constructed in the form of a coil surrounding the pin i and bears at its opposite ends against the body of the carrier and the gate, as shown in Figs. 8, 9, 11 and 13.

hen the beans or other articles are deposited in the carrier while the same is in the horizontal receiving position, both its gates at opposite ends thereof are closed and as the carrier continues in its forward movement it is tilted laterally in one direction by the front cams g, of the guide rails, whereby the articles slide lengthwise in the carrier or transversely relatively to the forward movement of the same until the depressed ends of the articles engage with the inner side of the gate which at this time closes the outlet at the respective end of the carrier. After the carrier has thus received its first tilt, the first cutter mechanism operates upon the depressed ends of the beans in the carrier and severs the lower tips from the bodies thereof. The cutter for this purpose preferably consists of a stationary blade K mounted by means of a bracket Z on the adjacent part of the frame and having an inclined front cutting edge. This blade is arranged in the path of the beans close to the gate at the depressed ends of the carrier, so that as the beans are moved by the carrier past this blade these tips are severed from the bodies of the beans in the carrier. After the tips hay e been cut from the bodies of the beans at one end thereof these parts of the beans are held apart for a sutlicient length of time to permit of opening the gate on the respective depressed end of the carrier for discharging the severed tips while the bodies of the beans are retained within the carrier. This is effected by means of a guard or retainer which is preferably constructed in the form of an upright plate or wall M which forms a longitudinal extension at the lower rear end of the cutter, as shown in Fig. 16. The opening of the gate at the depressed end of the carrier after the cutting operation and the closing of this gate before the carrier again clears the rear end of the guard or retainer preferably consists of a stationary cam N which is arranged on the adjacent part of the frame and adapted to be engaged by a tail a projecting laterally from the upper part of the respective gate. While the carrier is moving the beans past the cutter, the tail on the gate is opposite the low front part of the cam N which permits the respective gate to assume its normal position in which it closes the respective outlet of the carrier and serves as a gage for determining the length of the tip portion of the beans which shall be severed from the body thereof by the cutter. After the tips of the beans at one end thereof have been severed from their bodies in the manner described, the gate at the depressed end of the carrier is opened by engagement of its tail with the high part of the cam N, thereby permitting the tips of the beans to fall by gravity from the respective outlet of the carrier but the bodies of the beans at this time are still retained within the carrier by means of the retaining wall or guard M, as shown in Fig. 11. After the tips of the beans have been discharged from the carrier the tail of the gate at the respective end of the same clears the cam N, thereby permitting this gate to close. During the continued forward movement of the carrier, the latter also clears the end of the retaining wall or guard, thereby permitting the bodies of the beans to slide downwardly and engage their trimmed ends with the gate at the depressed end of the carrier. After the beans have been moved by the carrier past the first cutting device and they have been trimmed off at one end in the manner described, each carrier is tilted or turned on the carrier belt in the opposite direction by the central cams g 9 so that the beans slide reversely in the carriers and engage their opposite untrimmed ends with the inner side of the other gate which closes the outlet at that end of the carrier which is now depressed, as shown in Fig. 9. The carrier now moves the beans therein past a second cutter which is constructed and operates identically like the first cutter and which consists of a stationary blade K arranged in the path of the beans adjacent to the opposite tip ends thereof and having an inclined front cutting edge which severs the tips of the beans, as shown in Fig. 10, and a bracket Z whereby said cutter is supported on the adjacent part of the frame. This second cutter is also provided with a retaining wall or guard M forming an extension of the second cutter and confining the beans in the carrier, as shown in Figs. 8 and 11, until the gate at the respective end of the carrier has been opened for the discharge of the severed tips. This action of the respective gate is effected by means of a. second stationary cam N which is engaged by the tail on the adjacent gate of the carrier and which operates to open this gate after the tips have been severed from the bodies of the beans to permit the escape of these tips at the depressed end of the carrier before the latter clears the rear end of the second retaining wall M and thereby confines the trimmed beans in the carrier. The cam N is so formed that the last men tioned gates of the carriers are opened after the carriers pass this cutter to permit the escape of the severed tips and are held open until the carriers during their continued forward movement in an inclined position have also cleared the rear end of the second retaining wall M as shown in Fig. 8, thereby permitting the trimmed bodies of the beans to be also discharged laterally by gravity from the carriers but at a different place from that at which the tips have been discharged so that the same do not become mixed and may be delivered into separate receptacles. After the last mentioned ends of the beans have been trimmed and the tips and bodies thereof have been discharged separately in the manner described, the carriers are again turned into a horizontal position by the rear cams 9 g of the rails and pass over the delivery sprocket wheel.

In order to permit the carrier to present the beans to the cutters, the longitudinal walls thereof are provided adjacent to each of said outlets with upright slots or throats O which extend from the bottom of the carrier upwardly to the top thereof. As the carrier moves forwardly, the pairs of slots at opposite ends of the same successively receive the first and second cutter blades and permit the latter to operate upon the beans within the carrier while being moved by the latter past the cutter blades.

For the purpose of insuring a clean cutof the cutter blades on the beans within the carrier, the bottom of the latter is provided with a transverse groove p in line with each pair of slots or throats 0. Each of these grooves receives the lower edge of one of the cutters as the carrier moves past the same and the upper corners of this groove form shearing edges on the bottom of the carrier for cooperation with the respective cutter blade, whereby the tips of the beans are efliciently and expeditiously cut off from the bodies thereof.

In order to brace the side walls of the carrier and prevent the same from being bent and to assist in confining the beans in the carrier, webs or cross bars 0 of any suit able width are provided which connect the upper edges thereof on the inner and outer sides of the slots or throats, as shown in the drawings. In order to further guard against the beans becoming dislodged or displaced of cover plates 7, 1" which are arranged at the same angle as the carriers adjacent to the first and second cutters and which are supported by brackets s, s or otherwise on the adjacent part of the frame.

In this machine, the carriers or buckets are tilted laterally in opposite directions to such an angle that the articles to be trimmed slide transversely therein solely by gravity toward the ends of the carrier and gage themselves against the gates which close the outlets. In order to insure sliding of the beans in the carriers toward the depressed ends thereof when the same are tilted, a jarring device is provided which operates to jar the carriers and dislodge any beans which may become caught or stick therein and cause the same to become gaged preparatory tobeing trimmed. A jarring device for this purpose is preferably arranged to operate on the carriers while the same are being tilted first in one direction and then in the opposite direction and as these devices are identical in construction the following description of one applies to both: 6 represents an abrupt face formed on the descending cam of each guide rail, so that there is a sudden drop from this cam in front of its abrupt face to that part of this cam in rear of said face, as shown in Fig. 14. U represents a spring preferably of leaf form arranged lengthwise on the ascending cam of each guide rail and secured with its front end on the ascending cam while its free rear end is arranged transversely in line with the abrupt face on the companion descending cam and is movable into and out of a recess u in the adjacent part of the companion ascending cam. As each carrier moves with its opposite ends over the ascending and descending cams of the guide rails the rising end of the same defiects the spring U, whereby the latter is strained and causes the lowered end of the carrier to be pressed against the descending cam. This tension on the spring continues until the lowered end of the carrier clears the abrupt face of the descending cam when the resilience of the spring instantly asserts itself and quickly lifts the ascending end of the carrier and drops the descending end of the same with a sharp blow from the high part of the descending cam in front of the abrupt face to the low part thereof in rear of said face. This sudden shifting of the carrier causes any beans which have a tendency to lodge therein and not move freely toward the depressed end of the carrier to become loosened or free and slide toward the depressed gate, thereby causing the beans to be brought within range of the cutter and insuring proper trimming of the ends of all of the beans.

By severing the tips from the beans or other articles while the same are confined in the inclined carriers and then discharging 1.,ua1, lo I the severed tips from the carriers while retaining the bodies of the beans in the same, it permits of properly gaging the beans for cutting off a definite length of tips therefrom while at the same time preventing commin: gling of the bodies and tips which otherwise would necessitate subsequent separation of the bodies and tips.

I claim a my invention:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an opening, a cutter which is arranged adj acent to said opening and past which said article is moved by said carrier and the end of the article is severed by the movement of the carrier past said cutter, and means which confine the body of the article in the carrier and which are movable out of the path of movement of the article to permit the escape of the severed tip of said article.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one of its ends, means for tilting said carrier so that its outlet is depressed, a cutter arranged at the depressed end of the carrier for severing the tip of said article in the carrier, and means which confine the body of the article in the carrier and which are movable out of the path of movement of the article to permit the escape of the severed tip of said article.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at opposite ends, means for tilting the carrier alternately in opposite directions, cutters for severing the tips at opposite ends of said article in the carrier, and means which confine the body of the article in the carrier and which are movable out of the path of movement of the article to permi}; the escape of the severed tip of said artic e.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at opposite ends, means for tilting the carrier alternately in opposite directions, cutters arranged at the depressed ends of the carrier for severing the tips at opposite ends of said article in the carrier, and means which confine the body of the article in the carrier and which are movable out of the path of movement of the article to permit the escape of the severed tip of said article.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive the article to be trimmed, means for tilting said carrier so as to cause the article therein to slide toward its depressed end by gravity, means which confine the body of the article in the carrier and which are movable out of the path of movement of the article to permit the escape of the severed tip of said article, and means for trimming off that tip of the article which has been depressed.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive the article to be trimmed, means for tilting said carrier successively in opposite directions so as to cause the article therein to slide successively in opposite directions therein toward the depressed ends of the carrier, means which confine the body of the article in the carrier and which are movable out of the path of movement of the article to permit the escape of the severed tip of said article, and means for trimming off the tips of the article in said carrier.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and provided with an outlet at one end, means for moving said carrier forwardly in a position trans versely to the line of movement, means for tilting said carrier transversely so that the outlet end thereof is depressed, means for limiting the movement of said article in the carrier toward the depressed end thereof, means for severing that tip of said article which has been depressed, and means for moving said limiting means out of the path of said article after the tip has been severed therefrom to permit said tip to escape.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and provided with an outlet, means for limiting the movement of said article in the carrier toward said outlet, means for severing that tip of said article adjacent to said outlet, means for moving said limiting means out of the path of said article after the tip has been severed therefrom to permit said tip to escape, and means for preventing the escape of the body of said article while said limiting means are shifted to permit the escape of said tip.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and provided with an outlet at one end, means for moving said carrier forwardly in a position transversely to the line of movement, means for tilting said carrier transversely so that the outlet end thereof is depressed, means for limiting the movement of said article in the carrier toward the depressed end thereof, means for severing that tip of said article which has been depressed, means for moving said limiting means out of the path of said article after the tip has been severed therefrom to permit said tip to escape, and means for preventing the escape of the body of said article while said limiting means are shifted to permit the escape of said tip.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and provided with an outlet at one end, means for moving said carrier forwardly in a position transversely to the line of movement, means for tilting said carrier transversely so that the outlet end thereof is depressed, means for limiting the movement of said article in the carrier toward the depressed end thereof, means for severing that tip of said article which has been depressed, means for moving said limiting means out of and into the path of said article after the tip has been severed therefrom to permit said tip to escape, and means for preventing the escape of said article from said carrier while said limiting means are shifted to permit the escape of said tip.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one end, means for moving said carrier forwardly in a position transversely to the direction of its movement, means for tilting the carrier transversely so that its outlet is depressed and the article therein is caused to slide toward said outlet, a gate movably mounted on said carrier at the depressed end thereof and adapted to control said outlet, a cutter for severing that tip of said article which has been depressed, and means for closing said gate while tilting the carrier, so as to limit the movement of the article therein toward its depressed end and opening said gate after the tip has been severed from the body of said article to permit said tip to escape.

12. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one end, means for moving said carrier forwardly in a position transversely to the direction of its movement, means for tilting the carrier transversely so that its outlet is depressed and the article therein is caused to slide toward said outlet, a gate pivoted on said carrier at the depressed end thereof and adapted to control said outlet, a cutter for severing that tip of said article which has been depressed, and means for closing said gate while tilting the carrier so as to limit the movement of the article therein toward its depressed end and opening said gate after the tip has been sev ered from the body of said article to permit said tip to escape.

18. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one end, means for moving said carrier forwardly in a position transversely to the direction of its movement, means for tilting the carrier transversely so that its outlet is depressed and the article therein is caused to slide toward said outlet, a gate for controlling said outlet pivoted to the carrier above said outlet to swing vertically, a cutter for severing that tip of said article which has been depressed, a spring for yieldingly holding said gate in its closed position, and a cam for opening said gate after the tip of the article has been severed from the body thereof.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one end, means for moving said carrier forwardly in a position transversely to the direction of its movement, means for tilting the carrier transversely so that its outlet is depressed and the article therein is caused to slide toward said outlet, a gate for controlling the outlet pivoted at its upper end on the carrier to swing vertically and having a laterally projecting tail, a cutter for severing that tip of said article which has been depressed, a spring for yieldingly holding said gate in position to close said outlet, and a cam arranged to be engaged by said tail and move the gate away from said outlet after the tip of said article has been severed from the body thereof.

15. In a. machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one of its ends, means for moving said carrier forward in a position transversely to the direction of its move ment, means for tilting said carrier transversely, a cutter arranged at the depressed end of said carrier and adapted to sever the tip from the body of said article, means for limiting the movement of said article toward the depressed outlet before the carrier reaches said cutter, and means which confine the body of said article inthe carrier while the latter is still in its tilted position and which are movable. out of the path of movement of said article to permit the escape of the severed tip of said article.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one of its ends, means for moving said carrier forward in a position transversely to the direction of its movement, means for tilting said carrier transversely, a cutter arranged at the depressed end of said carrier and adapted to sever the tip from the body of said article, means for limiting the movement of said article toward the depressed outlet before the carrier reaches said cutter, and a retaining plate which is arranged in rear of the cutter in position to be engaged by the trimmed article while the carrier is still in a tilted position.

17. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one of its ends, means for moving said carrier forward in a position transversely to the direction of its movement, means for tilting said carrier transversely, a stationary inclined cutter which is arranged at the depressed end of said carrier and past which the articles are moved by said carrier for trimming off the tip of the same, means for limiting the movement of said article toward said outlet before the carrier reaches said cutter, and a retaining plate extending rearwardly from the cutter and operating to prevent movement of the trimmed article in the carrier toward said outlet while the carrier is still in a tilted position.

18. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and having an outlet at one end and slots in its opposite longitudinal walls adjacent to said outlet, means for moving said carrier forward in a position transversely to the direction of movement, means for tilting said carrier transversely for depressing the outlet end thereof and causing the article therein to slide transversely toward said outlet, a closure applied to said outlet for limiting the movement of said article and preventing its escape through said outlet, a cutter which is arranged to be received by said slots and past which the article is moved by the carrier for trimming off the depressed end thereof, means for temporarily moving said closure away from said outlet after the tip of the depressed end of said article has been removed by said cutter, and a retaining plate extending rearwardly from the cutter in position to be received by said slots and operating to prevent movement of the trimmed article toward said outlet while the same is open.

19. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a bucket-shaped carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed and provided at opposite ends with outlets, means for propelling said carrier in a position transversely to its movement, means for successively tilting said carrier in opposite directions and causing the article therein to slide successively toward opposite ends of the carrier, gates applied to opposite ends of the carrier for controlling the respective outlets thereof, cutters arranged at the depressed ends of the carrier and adapted to sever the tips of the article to be trimmed, means for opening the gates at the depressed ends of the carrier after the tips have been severed, and means for preventing the body of the article being trimmed from escaping from the carrier after its tips have been severed by said cutters.

20. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed, means for propelling said carrier in a position transversely to its forward movement, means for tilting said carrier successively in opposite directions and causing the article therein to slide successively toward opposite ends of the carrier, and means for jarring the carrier individually while in a tilted position.

21. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed, means for propelling said carrier in a position transversely to its forward movement, means for tilting said carrier successively in opposite directions and causing the article therein to slide successively toward opposite ends of the carrier, and means for jarring the carrier individually while in a tilted position comprising a spring which is strained during the tilting movement of the carrier and released while the carrier is tilted so thatthe resilience of the spring operates to jar the carrier.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed, means for propelling said carrier in a position transversely to its forward movement, means for tilting said carrier successively in opposite directions and causing the article therein to slide successively toward opposite ends of the carrier comprising two longitudinal guide-rails over which the opposite ends of the carrier ride in engagementtherewith and which are provided respectively with an ascending cam and a descending cam which are transversely in line, and means for jarring the carrier while in its tilted position comprising an abrupt face formed on the descending cam and which is engaged by the depressed end of the carrier, and a spring arranged on the ascending cam in position to be deflected and strained by the elevated end of the carrier, so that when the depressed end of the carrier clears the abrupt face, the resilience of the spring causes the carrier to drop quickly from the descending cam in front of its abrupt face to that part thereof in rear of the abrupt face.

23. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed, means for propelling said carrier in a position transversely to the direction of movement, means for tilting said carrier successively in opposite directions and causing the article therein to slide successively toward opposite ends of the carrier, means for limiting the movement of said article toward the depressed ends of the carrier, and means for severing the ends of said article at the depressed ends of the carrier, said means which limit the movement of the articles in the carrier the second time being constructed to clear said article after the end of the same has been severed and while the carrier is still in its second tilted position.

24. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier adapted to receive an article to be trimmed, means for propelling said carrier in a position transversely to the direction of move ment, means for tilting said carrier successively in opposite directions and causing the article therein to slide successively toward opposite ends of the carrier, means for limiting the movement of said article toward the depressed ends of the carrier comprising gates movably mounted on opposite ends of the carrier, cams for opening said gates successively as the carrier is tilted in opposite directions, and cutters arranged to engage with said articles at the depressed ends thereof and adjacent to said gates and provided with retainers which hold back the body of the trimmed article and which extend rearwardly from said cutters, said second cam being constructed to open the second gate after the carrier passes the second cutter and hold the same open until the carrier has also passed the front end of the second retainer.

25. A machine of the character described comprising an endless carrier, a plurality of tilting buckets carried by said endless carrier and provided with slot-s therein, fixed knives arranged to pass through slotted portions of said buckets, doors carried by said buckets, and fixed members adapted to act upon said doors to open them at predetermined times.

26. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of toothed wheels, of a chain engaged therewith, and traveling therearound, a plurality of tilting buckets secured to said chain, a pair of tracks adapted to tilt said buckets from one angle to the other during their passage over said tracks, said buckets comprising elongated hollow body portions open at the top and provided with slots, pivoted doors at each end of said body portions, and cam engaging extensions upon said pivoted doors, cams adapted to be engaged by said extensions and knives adapted to pass through slots formed in said body portions.

Vitness my hand this 19th day of J anuary, 1909.

ROGER O. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

E. M. GRAHAM, ANNA HEIGIS.

copies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

